Human Nature
by TsubakiHana
Summary: Now I know what all those people meant when they droned on with the whole 'life isn't fair' spiel, but God did it hurt when its truth came to light. I didn't ask for this shit! and I didn't ask to be a tool for some unseen force!
1. Beginnings

Chapter One: Beginnings

* * *

_Breathe_

I never knew pain like this existed, well I guess that was the aim right?

_Breathe_

I was an idiot I really was

_Breathe_

I just wanted it to stop, yah know?

_Breathe_

But what good would that have done me?

_Breathe_

It just hurt so damn much!

_Breathe_

It getting dark… but I suppose that's to be expected

_Breathe_

_BREATHEDAMNITJUSTFUCKING__**BREATHE**_

_Please just breathe_

My brain was screaming the entire way as it was being dragged further and further into the darkness.

_Breathe_

And I realized something quite ironic before there was nothing left but the dark

_I really hated the color __**red**_

* * *

Minato in all his 'wisdom' couldn't figure out how he had gotten into this situation. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of his and Kushina's life, and in one measly moment it quickly became the worst.

It had started out with Kushina giving birth and Biwako-san taking the children away so he could finish stabilizing the seal, and then _**he**_ showed up.

The masked man, who claimed to be Madara

How he had gotten through the seals Minato could still not figure out, but he had gotten both his children and that's when he sprang into action, Kushina's seal momentarily forgotten as he went through the motions of using his Hiraishin to out maneuver the mystery man, but the man wasn't stupid, no not by a long shot.

As soon as both the children were safely in his arms again Minato had to quickly discard their blankets to avoid the explosive tags attached to the back. Forcing him to use Hiraishin to get his newly birthed bundles of joy out of the cross fire, leaving his Kushina alone with that man.

By the time he had reached her again the nine tail had been wretched form its cage and was about to completely obliterate her.

Once again his speed saved another person dear to him.

Taking his Kushina home he laid her beside their children. A blonde baby boy and a red haired baby girl.

"Naruto, Menma…" she sobbed to their children. Steeling his anger and conviction Minato retrieved the Hokage cloak his love diligently had made for him. Sliding it on he prepared himself for the slaughter that was about to ensue.

"Minato…Thank you…good luck…" Kushina whispered in a labored voice.

"I'll be back before you know it," was all he said as he disappeared from view.

* * *

Obito was extremely impressed by his old sensei's abilities, but one doesn't gain the name of Hokage by being a slouch after all.

But it was too late for him and The Leaf, both would burn for what he had lost, both would suffer as he had.

The Rasengan still burned his back as he watched his sensei bring his wife and new borns into an open field by the raging Kyuubi. So he was planning to seal it huh?

This could be interesting after all.

* * *

Minato had no other choice, he had to seal the nine tails into his children, Kushina couldn't take that kind of strain, she was already suffering from just trying to hold the beast back with her chakra chains.

Going through the hand signs for the Reaper Death Seal, he would save his wife and children at any cost, but before he could finish the last and sign a sting met cheek.

"What….huff…do you think….your doing?" Kushina hissed out as she struggled to stand, "I wont survive this…but you will Minato! Not only for our children, but for the village as well!"

Holding his cheek all he could do was stare

"You're going to seal the nine tails into the children…right?" violet eyes met blue eyes, "Do a proper 8 trigram seal…and live on! I am happy that I was able to see the birth of our children and you becoming Hokage, my only regret would be not being able to see our children grow up, but you will Minato!"

Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, he wanted them both to live, for both of them to see their children grow! Why?! Why?! Did this have to happen?...

With tears still rolling down his face Minato Performed the hands signs for the 8 trigram seals and sealed either half of the Kyuubi's chakra into both his children.

Quickly making his way to Kushina Minato held her as the last few sparks of life were leaving her eyes, a sight he never though he would see this early on in either one of their lives.

"Thank you Kushina, for making me your husband, Hokage, and the father of your children!" the tears just wouldn't stop now, "I'll raise them with enough love for the both of us! And I will make sure they know how brave and beautiful their mother was!"

And with that Kushina Uzumaki, jinchuriki of the nine tails, and mother of Menma and Naruto Uzumaki, died.

* * *

Obito felt a small pang as he watched his old sensei weep over his wife's body, but both he and the Leaf needed to know what suffering was! What it meant to lose hope in the world. That's when the idea struck him.

In an instance he was next to the alter where the brats were laying. The little yellow one was wailing incessantly, so he was a no go, but the little Kushina look alike was as quiet as a mouse. In a flash he scooped her up and flashed away from the alter.

There, where he had me standing not two seconds ago was a small crater, and above said crater was a very livid Fourth Hokage.

"GIVE MY CHILD **BACK**!" he roared as he prepared another Rasengan in his hand. In a shock of lightning Minato was behind Obito, but that was fine.

Perfectly fine, in fact.

Using his Kamui Obito appeared behind his enraged sensei and placed a small paper on his back, activating the paper with a small amount of chakra, Obito just stepped back and watched the rest unfold.

Whirling around, with Rasengan still in hand Minato was about to move when he halted. His Rasengan dissipated as he fell to his knees. Seal arrays crawled over his skin, glowing an ominous purple color. As he fell, body convulsing, the cavalry arrived.

Seeing the scene before him unfold Obito couldn't help but smirk behind his mask. The third and his advisors were here, even Bakashi was here to witness this historical moment. As they all were about to advance upon him he held up the still silent bundle in his hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he mused in a playful tone, "Ill be taking this little girl with me"

He pulled the little baby into himself further.

"And as for that," he pointed to his old teacher who was now unconscious, with medic nin surrounding him, "he'll be taking a nap for a long while, but rest assure he's not dead! I have unfinished business with him."

Obito turned away and prepared for kamui again, when he heard a roar, but this one sounded like it came from a younger man. Tilting his head back he saw his former team mate charging him, Sharingan and chidori raging.

"Give her back!" Obito waited until he was close enough to hear what he wanted him to hear.

"Oh, and when the fourth Hokage wakes up, do tell him about what happened here," his smirk growing by the passing milliseconds, "and that I will be taking good care of his little girl."

And then there, in the once proud Hidden Village of Konoha, was the wreckage...

* * *

With that Obito, known as the masked man to Konoha, took Menma Uzumaki.

Child to the Fourth Hokage, jinchuriki, twin to one Naruto Uzumaki, and something more.

But that explanation will have to wait till later

Now won't it?

* * *

A/N whew that was kinda rough. If you've read my other fanfic red thread than I want to thank you for switching to this one, I promise your time wont be wasted. I was really inspired by Silver Queen's- Dreaming of Sunshine and cherryvvoid's- Shiki and Artsome's- Clockwork and teacups and Sage Thrashers- Mind the Gap. Check out all of these if you can they are amazing. I promise in the next few chapters a lot of things will be explained, and please excuse any lateness with updates, school is really stressful! sorry its so short too, i promise the next one will be longer!

Please review and critique kindly!

Thank you cya soon!


	2. Small Village Girl

Chapter Two: Small Village Girl

* * *

I believe I was four when my true self began to be awakened

According to the priest and priestesses of the Inari shrine, I was left on the porch of the shrine as a new born, by a messenger of the gods. Assuring me that I was a gift sent to them by the Heavens. There on the blanket I had been swaddled in was my name: Menma. This line of answers came as a reply to my three year old self, inquiring why I did not have parents like the other children in the village had. Of course I didn't mind, my childish psyche already deciding that I didn't need one daddy or mommy, not when it seemed that I had plenty of them in the shrine, along with older sisters and brothers that lived in the village just at the foot of the small mountain the shrine resided on.

I think, even as young as I was, I knew I was different from the other children. Things like speaking, walking, eating; things that advanced me as a human being, somehow came natural. By the time I was three I had not only learned how to speak fluently to the adults that surrounded me, but I had a general grasp on the written language of my land as well. The head priest proudly proclaimed that the Heavens truly did send them an outstanding child. But most of all the thing that made me the stray nail that stuck up, was that I could feel _it_.

I could feel the sensation of something living in me so vividly. A warm, wiggling, _living_ substance that resided in every pore of my body. Not just my body, though, but in everything that resided around me. In the priest and priestesses, in the dogs in the village, even in the wild flowers in the field by the shrine. I remember I had whined to the head priest about it, calling it the "wiggling invisible worms". He had given me a peculiar look, but never mentioned it again, and neither had I; even in my once childish state I knew when to leave well enough alone.

But that bliss of a childhood ended on the fourth year of my being in this world

It had happened when I had asked one of the priestesses where we lived, and of course she answered me with the usual 'silly girl we live in the Inari shrine to the gods', the reply I had gotten every time before, but as I pestered her about where we really lived she yielded with a sigh.

"We live in the Land of Grass, just by the boarder of the Land of Rain," she informed me halfheartedly as she prepared the shrine for afternoon prayers. As soon as the last word left her mouth I suddenly had felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. A throbbing pain that demanded all of my attention, nut just as suddenly as it came it left, leaving a lingering soft pounding in my ears.

"I-Iyako-neesama, I'm going to go get flowers for dinner," I turned to leave, my vision blurring, "I promise, I'll be back for prayers!"

With that I sprinted from the shrine running as hard as a four year old could. Pictures started flashing before my eyes, pictures I couldn't understand. Rooms I had never been in, people I had never seen, _things _I had never seen; tall buildings, flying things that looked like birds

**Planes**

_Planes?_

That was the word my mind supplied. And it had done it for other things. Cars, skyscrapers, computers; things that didn't exist here.

But how did I know that? I couldn't find the answer.

Until I looked up. And there he was. The thing the priest warned all the children to fear and respect. The being that had been painted on countless ceremonial mask that hung in the shrine. The bringer of death and rebirth.

_**Shinigami**_

I would know that demonic face anywhere, I had always found his mask to be the most truly mesmerizing one of them all. The red of his face was dull, black teeth elongated to a spears point, a crown of unruly white hair. But his eyes were the thing that truly had me starring. Pools of gold with cat eyed pupils, the parts of his eyes that should have been white, were a bottomless black color. His large figure was enveloped with a pure white formal kimono, tied with a red sash. And finally purple prayer beads hung on his wrist and around his neck.

He truly was a frightening specter. And there we stood.

A small red headed child panting in her light pink yukata, and a larger than life being, simply looking down on her.

"**I finally found you, I hadn't expected you to slip through my sensing abilities or the of the Heaven's, but your aren't where you are supposed to be, now are you, Little Drifter," **his voice was soft, but deep and covered in a gravelly tone, **"It's time for you to stop acting like you're a child, and act your age; its time you remembered where you came from, so I can tell you why you're here."**

Another picture entered my already confused mind. It was a drawing of a boy. He had bright yellow hair, it was so spiky, and a wide smile. He was wearing an orange jump suit, and while his eyes were just slits from smiling I couldn't help but think that they were an amazing shade of blue.

Like mine

Finally were the whiskers on his face, just like mine.

Looking at the Shinigami I felt my breath come quicker.

"Why? Why do I need to remember something, Shinigami-sama?" the edges of my vision already darkening, "Why are you taking this away from me?"

Hot tears were already rolling down my face

"**Because fate has decided it will be you who helps save this world."**

And with that I finally fell into the long awaiting darkness

* * *

_Breathe_

I never knew pain like this existed, well I did, but you never expect it to happen to yourself…yah know?

_Breathe _

_I was an idiot I really was, ignorance really wasn't bliss_

_Breathe_

_If only I had been observant_

_Breathe _

_But what good would that have done me?_

_Breathe _

_It just hurt so damn much!_

_Breathe _

_It getting dark! Why is it getting dark?!_

_Breathe_

_BREATHEDAMNITJUSTFUCKING__**BREATHE**_

_Please just breathe_

_While the darkness just kept coming my eyes couldn't help but focus on the very thing covering me…_

_Breathe _

_And I realized something before there was nothing_

_I really hate the color __**red**_

* * *

Slowly I opened my eyes only for them to meet the familiar ceiling of my room in the shrine, small pools of unshed tears lied in my eyes. So I had already died once, but not in this world. No, I was from somewhere much farther than that. A world of technology and science. There were still holes in the memories I had, most of them having to do with who I had been. I didn't know my name from my past life, nor where I had come from, or the people who had been in my life, only general knowledge.

Even with all that I still carried some of my childishness with me, because in actuality I was physically and mentally a four year old child, but spiritually I was much older.

Somehow I couldn't bring myself to care whether the soul that I had had been a reused one. To all the people around me I was Menma of the Inari shrine, of the village just south of the Land of Rain. And that would be enough for now.

Soon enough the meeting became a small distant memory, the attention span of a four year old not quite holding on to the memory of the heavy conversation that had occurred with an almighty spiritual being the previous day.

Little did I know that he would soon become a regular part of my life, and that someone else would soon enter my life.

Someone I would grow to love and hate in my new life

* * *

The first time I had met him was when I had wandered into the forest just east of the village. One of the priestesses had decided to bring me along for some errands down in the village.

It was a small village, yes, but the people were happy enough, and no one had been to hard up for food or money. A truly normal and content village. The forest the surrounded the mountain and village was moderately thick and full of life.

I had been wandering the thick under bush when I came upon a small pond. Surprisingly enough it was clear and full of what looked to be healthy coy. Leaning down I was about to touch them when a voice rang out stopping me.

"You shouldn't get so close to that water little girl," it was a deep and mischievous voice, "You might just drown."

My head snapped to the direction where the voice was coming from. There in a nearby tree was a man with an orange swirly mask and a black over coat. His hair was shoulder length and wild and spiky.

"H-how would you know if I'd d-drown!?" my voice came out extra high and squeaky, "I-I could know how to swim, dattebana!"

Somewhere along the line I had acquired the strange tik, but it never unsettled me, so I allowed it to stay.

"Please, like a pip squeak like you would know how to swim," he leapt down from his perch, "Ha, I bet you still don't know how to use the bathroom properly!"

My face was probably as red as a tomato by now, stomping my way over to his smug form, I completely forgot the priest's lesson on 'stranger danger'.

"H-how dare you!" I shouted as I stood tall, even over his looming figure, "I am a big girl! I can clean myself, dress myself, I can do all my chores, I can even read and write! I'm practically a grown up, dattebana!"

By now he was silently laughing. His broad shoulders shaking. With a huff of irritation I turned to leave. I didn't need this! I was technically a grown up! Even if I didn't look it! But before I could get far, two gloved hands wrapped themselves around my small toddler waist spinning me around to be hung face to face with the mystery man. His eyes were a bright red with black dots in them.

The throbbing pain I had gotten the time before was slowly returning. Flashes of different people with the same eyes went through my mind like lightning.

"Ah, so you are a big girl, and quite the pretty one too," his words were low, "but big girls shouldn't wander off without someone to watch over them, they might be stolen away by big bad wolves."

I stiffened in his grasp. His words dripped with a condescending twist, like he was reminiscing about a joke only he and another knew.

"Are you one of these wolves?" I asked innocently as his one red eye continued to stare into my soul.

"Do you think so?" it was a simple enough question, so I answered it simply.

"No, I don't think so," he stilled for a moment before setting my back on my own feet again.

"Now why would you say that little miss?"

"Because you haven't taken me yet," he stilled once more before turning around to head back into the shadowy woods. Once he was partially in the shadows he looked back at me once more.

"I like you little miss, let's do this more often," he turned back and completed his walk into the shadows casually throwing over his shoulder, "By the way, the names Tobi."

Before he completely vanished I yelled out my name

"Menma! My name is Menma," and with that he was gone, even the wiggling worms that followed him were gone.

"**You shouldn't be so frank with your name to stranger's brat," **a familiar gravelly voice came from slightly behind me. Peering beck I was met with the sight of the all-powerful Shinigami, **"Especially around shinobi, and definitely around that kind of shinobi."**

Tilting my head to the side I inquired about this.

"What's a shinobi?" the throbbing returned. Shinigami-sama sighed.

"**It seems I will have to wait a few more years for all your memories to come back, but that doesn't mean we won't start your training soon, you'll have to be prepared for what lies ahead of you, and to bare what is expected of you,"** with another sigh he decided to answer my question, **"A shinobi is a warrior of sorts, one who protects their way of life or thinking, some are bad and some are good, but all are feared and respected to some extent."**

He looked down into my eyes capturing my full attention.

"**I know it is hard for you to truly retain our conversations and the gravity of the situation, that is why I am making an exception for you until your full reincarnation is complete, but know that you have a duty, a purpose in this world like everything else," **he turned around and headed the way I had entered the forest, **"Soon enough all your memories will return and your visions will soon come with them, both the Heaven's and myself expect great things from you Menma."**

Following a pace behind him I looked back once more to the spot where the man, Tobi, had been standing.

"Will I become a shinobi too?" I inquired as I began to walk side by side with him, "will I become strong?"

"**Perhaps you will,"** he sighed again, **"Some day, brat."**

A beat of silence followed before I spoke up again

"Why me?" was all I asked; was all I needed to ask

"**I don't know why brat, but the Heavens have their reasoning for picking you,"** as we were about to leave the forest completely, he began to fade, **"But remember this brat; There is no coincidences, only inevitability."**

And with that he was gone

* * *

Obito had been surprised to see the little Uzumaki clone wander off into the forest alone, really did those priest and priestesses teacher her nothing about self-preservation?

He had not planned to reproach her but he did, after four years of silently watching her from the shadows, it was about time she met him.

She was the spitting image of his old sensei's wife, with a few minor adjustments, like those odd whiskers. But then again she was an odd child, from her looks to her personality.

Bright red hair cut into a straight edge bob. Large rounded bright blue eyes, along with a small nose and mouth. A chubby tanned face with those whisker marks. All tied up into a summer kimono, geta wearing bow.

Then her personality, she carried herself in a way most children didn't. Confident strides, forward staring eyes, unwavering independence. She was a lot like her father, even down to the quiet and calm disposition. No doubt she's adored by the shrine and village. An autumn leaf among boring blades of grass. He truly chose the right one to take.

So she had said he wasn't wolf due to the fact he hadn't stolen her away yet?

Obito chuckled to himself as he made his way back to the Land of Rain

Oh the irony

* * *

Once again Naruto was left to swing alone. It had always been this way as far as he could remember. He ate alone, bathed alone, and cried alone. But he did live with jiji. The Third Hokage took care of him while his papa was sick and gave him a home, but the old man was always busy leaving him alone with all the masked weirdos.

Speaking of his papa he had just finished visiting with him. Of course he was still asleep, but Naruto didn't mind talking to him. He would go on and on about his day. How he had chased and caught cicadas and about how much he loved ramen, but as much as Naruto loved visiting his papa, he wished he would answer back some times.

But once his papa woke up they would be together! And seeing as his papa was the Fourth Hokage he would get to see his papa do cool ninja trick and they would train together, and they would find _her_.

He had heard his jiji talk about it one night to some older people, about how they had to find his sister.

Menma

He had a sister! A younger twin sister! He didn't know why she was lost, but he would help find her when papa woke up! And they would be one big happy family!

And then the villagers wouldn't be afraid to talk to him!

And then he wouldn't be alone…

Shaking his head Naruto hopped off the swing and headed towards his mama's grave, he had to tell her about his day!

* * *

A/N heres the second chapter. Kinda dry but very informational! There will be more information about more stuff in the next chapter, but im digging it so far and I hope you guys are too. It really kinda broke my heart to write the Naruto part, but he's a tough cookie!

Threw in a little XXX Holic there towards the end. Goodness I really love that manga!

Please review and critique nicely, if somethings are confusing just say so and ill try to make it smoother next time.

Bye bye cya soon!


	3. Revelation

Chapter 3: Revelation

* * *

I was six years old when the final piece of my reincarnation puzzle came into place. I had been left in the alter room with the great statue of Buddha when it hit me. A blinding pain the in the back of my skull slowly made its way to every crevice and pore in my body. The purest embodiment of agony, so much so that I was not able to scream out, only withering mutely.

Pages from a book, a book made of pictures were the first thing to come to light.

_**Manga **_

_Manga?_

That's what it was called manga. The Japanese form of creating comics.

_Japanese?_

_Comic?_

On the front was a boy with blonde hair and six whiskers. A boy with a sad past.

_What?_

A boy that looked an awful lot like me. A boy with something special in him. A boy who made friends. I boy who had a sensei. A boy who became a ninja.

_Stop…_

A boy who trained with a master. A boy who had a dream. A boy who fought a war.

_Please stop!_

A boy who was betrayed.

_STOP IT!_

Another boy, no two. Both with the same dream, but different paths. One of darkness one of light. One who made a village and one who destroyed it. A fourth boy, one who found love and lost it, at the hands of a comrade.

A boy who destroyed his clan and another who avenged it.

Sharingan

_FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE STOP!_

Ten, ten tails? A sage, a mother, brothers, a fruit. Ninja, chakra, jinchuriki, genjutsu, ninjutsu, taijutsu.

War, suffering, death, rival, blood, family, clan, sacrifice, loneliness, monster, love, caring, belief.

Naruto

_ITHURTSPLEASESOMEONEMAKEITSTOPPLEASE!_

Me

_Who was I?_

As the pain subsided I couldn't sit there and stare at the statue of Buddha looking down on me. Standing up my legs wobbled just the slightest before I was flying out the entrance of the shrine, using the wiggling worms- no chakra- to propel myself forward. I heard several shouts as I zig zagged my way into the nearby forest.

My bare feet slapped against the slightly damp ground, every now and again a sting of pain would remind me of the fact I didn't have my sandals on, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was getting away from that place. A place so perfect in a world so imperfect.

Soon enough my young six year old body collapsed under a particularly large gingko tree. My breathing coming in and out at a rapid pace. My head still throbbing, I placed it between my two scrawny knees. Trying to grasp the situation.

I finally remembered. I remembered the place where I was from, or should I say dimension? I remembered the technology, the literature, the reality of it all; my reality, but I couldn't remember me. Who I was, what I liked, my face, my voice, my past, my name. None of it came to me. Not even how I died. But clearer than anything I remembered that name.

Naruto

The manga? No, more specifically the person, but not everything from that story was coming to me, only certain bits and pieces. The fact that he was a blonde haired male version of myself. That he lived in Hi no Kuni, in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, that he was a container.

Suddenly my head snapped up and my hands went to my abdomen, did that mean..?

"**So your soul finally completed its decent into this world?" **the all too familiar voice of the Shinigami rang out in the forest, his ghastly form appearing, **"Good, I have been waiting long enough for your comprehensive mind to finally form, now we can truly begin your mission, brat."**

That's right, a mission to save this world, but doesn't it get saved? By my look alike?

I tried to make the vision in my mind clearer but it simply faded to black.

"**Don't force all the visions at once your mid can not handle it," **Shinigami-sama stated, **"Plus the Heavens don't need you seeing too far ahead, thinking you can just change things willy nilly."**

"Change things?" I finally voiced

"**Yes change things. The version of this world that you read was written by a man who happened to glance a brief glimpse of this world in a sort of dream, and so the popular manga Naruto was born in your world,"** yeah, so that's where I got the name, a flash of random pages shifted though my mind, **"But that timeline is not a correct depiction of this world, in fact this world has been through many time lines, each one having a different journey, but ultimately that same end; complete and utter annihilation."**

My eyes widened eve further, Shinigami-sama's form somehow growing even larger.

"**The Heavens have chosen you correct this wrong, you will make sure that this world remains on the time line that the Heavens have written out for it. To ensure that you have the optimum opportunity to save this world you were placed into this specific time frame," **breathing deeply he sighed, **"Although it would seem that you have already been steered off course due to that meddling clan."**

Clan?

_Uchiha_

My mind supplied

Noticing my hand shakily grabbing my abdomen Shinigami-sama commented.

"**Yes, you are the container for half of the Nine Tail's chakra," **seeing my panicked face he grew even more frustrated, **"You will be fine brat, I have tried several time to tell you this but your previous mind set was not stable enough to grasp it. In reality we have been over this conversation several times, you should have retained some of it." **

He was right, I remember him slightly, explaining my purpose in this world and what I was meant to do, but something felt off.

"If I am supposed to be close to the original time line then why am I in a completely different area?" I whispered to him.

"**It would seem that the powers that be have sensed your presence and are doing everything in their power to rid themselves of you, this world recognizes that you are an anomaly that does not belong in this equation," **I stared into those pits of pure gold, **" I am only able to help you so much, the same goes for the Heavens, but something needed to be done about this world, this is the final time line for this dimension and if its becomes desolate and corrupt as well it will ripple into other worlds and disturb their fate and final plan."**

"So I'm supposed to help stop the destruction of this world? But doesn't that happen in the manga?

"**The Heavens believe in a sort of insurance plan, a plan B, should anything go wrong,"** his voice dropping an octave, **"It is not above worlds to veer of their fated paths into oblivion."**

This conversation seemed to be coming too rapidly, too hastily from nowhere, but all these years he had been informing my of what I was, and what I needed to do, but nothing ever stuck. Why was I panicking? I knew this whole time that I was a recycled soul crammed into a body that was not my own, but it was?

I knew from the jump that I was Menma, but I wasn't. I was anomaly sent here from another world…

That reminded me

"Who was I?"

"**What brat?"**

"Who was I before I came here?" I voiced again, "I can't remember who I was, what I looked like, the people in my life, how I… died. Nothing"

"**That is done for a reason brat, a soul cannot bear the weight of two identities, you were permitted some memories from your past life, which is more than most."**

"That only because I'm a tool!" I snapped back

"**While that is true you and every other soul reincarnated; whether they have memories or not, are ever permitted to know who they were in their past life, that is a violation of one of God's most sacred rules," **he growled to me, **"You are no exception to that rule"**

"Then why should I help you or the Heavens?!"

"**Because at this very moment you could be rotting away in nothingness you ungrateful, imputed brat, but instead you were given the chance at a new life and the opportunity to help an entire world," **his voice taking on a steel edge, sending my back as straight as a board, **"You, out of billions of souls, were chosen for this task, so put this childishness aside and do as you are told!"**

I shrunk my small body even further down as to avoid the acid glare I was receiving from Death himself. Turning his back to me he began to fade away into the shadows of dusk.

"**I will give you a week to mourn yourself and fully absorb our conversations once and for all, and at the end of this week I expect you to be obedient and prepared to train for you mission."**

And with that I was left in the thick shadows of the forest feeling a sinking lump of emotions I had never felt before in this world.

Loneliness

* * *

The day of my seventh birthday was fast approaching and this would mark my able to serve as a young priestess in the shrine, so naturally it was turning into a huge production, even the village people wanted to be in on it. Even with all these happy faces surrounding me the loneliness was slowly creeping its way back into my heart. None of these people knew what I was.

Who I was

Were there people missing me at the moment, did they cry for me? Did they miss me? Was I ever old? Young? Did I ever fall in love?

Somehow more of these question just kept popping up, leaving me no solace or joy, but despite the nagging thoughts, I smiled for these people. My new family. My new life.

I truly was naïve

* * *

It was the night before my birthday and all the preparations were complete, it would seem that the temple and even the village stilled into dreamlike night. Only the sounds of the forest could be heard in this stillness.

Until it happened

It felt like an instant, one moment I was peacefully dreaming the next I was woken up to flames and screams. Iyako-nee-sama was covered in dirt and cuts, her once serene hazel eyes were now wide with panic and fear. Another high pitch scream shock me out of my staring, Iyako-nee-sama was saying something.

"Listen little one, there isn't much time, you need to take this," she handed me a small sack, grabbing my hand as she quickly shuffled me out of my room in into the now chaotic night air, "and run south toward the Land of Fire, they won't harm you."

She was dragging as fast as she could, looking down I saw that she was limping and something red was staining her once white night robe. She was hurt. Finally finding my voice I whispered to her, trying to be as quiet as I could.

"W-what's happening nee-sama?" my voice trembling as I formed the words, "Why is there so much screaming? Why is the temple on fire? Why are we running!?"

Once we reached the tree line of the forest she fell to her knees and took my small face into her warm trembling hands. Tears were welling at the corners of her eyes.

"Listen well, I will not speak softly about the situation, I know you can understand my words clearly, though I wish I did not have to say them," taking a deep breath tears started rolling down face, " it seems as though our village has become a target for bandits and rouge ninjas, the head priest and a few village men are trying to keep them at bay, but that will only last for so long. You need to take this ouch and run, if nothing else you must live on."

I couldn't breathe, I really couldn't. It was all slipping away! The new life I had, a new family to make me forget the one I would never remember. I was losing it all.

"No matter where this path takes you, you will always be Menma of the Inari Shrine," She wiped the tears I hadn't realized started to run down my face, "You will always be our gift, even if we have to watch you grow from the world beyond this one."

For a moment we just stared at one another, but the scene was broken by a manly shout. Quickly looking over we saw a scruffy man point in our direction as a group of men started heading our way. Iyako-nee-sama reached into her robe's sash and pulled out a wakizashi.

"Go Menma! And remember we will always love you! You are never alone!"

With that I started sprinting in the opposite direction, as the forest became denser I heard Iyako-nee-sama's battle cry. Not faulting in my steps I ran through the tears, the pain of my bare feet and the agony in my heart. Dodging the low hanging branches and the protruding roots, I kept running.

It felt like an eternity by the time I finally was unable to run any longer. In the distance I could see dawn fast approaching, but I couldn't move anymore. There was only so much this body could take, and even chakra couldn't help.

I had been calling for the Shinigami the whole time, but he wouldn't come. I wanted so badly to think of all the people in the village, to cry and mourn, but I couldn't, I needed to run. I had only taken a few wobbly steps when I heard it.

Stilling I listen and heard it again. A crunch in the trees. A sharp pang of fear ran through me as I took off again, but I didn't get far when a large weight hit me from behind.

"So the brat heard me, oh well, guess the jig is up," a scratchy laugh followed. Turning my head I saw him. The man- no _ninja_ who had been following me. He was rugged, his kimono top soiled with dried brown spots and singed edges. His pale face was contorted into a sick smile. Hungry black eyes stared back at me, wild brown hair ruffled in the wind, there underneath his mop of hair was a headband. A jagged line that resembled grass was crossed out. A rouge ninja.

I tried pushing myself away from him, but all that did was result with a sandaled foot slamming into my skull. My head rebounded against the ground. All I did was let a small whimper out as he circled me.

"So this is the fucking brat all those good people died protecting huh?" he squatted in front of me, a sick grin staring me down, "They put up one hell of a fight you know? It was really bloody, and then there was that nice looking priestess, the one that saw you off-" he let out a low whistle, "She was a fierce one; All. The. Way. To. The. End." He emphasized each word as he licked his lips.

I gagged in the back of my throat

_Iyako-nee-sama_

Fury welled up inside of me, and just as the bastard looked off as though he was remembering a good memory, I grabbed a sharp rock nearby and smashed it against his twisted face. He cried out, but I had no time to admire my work. I sprinted through the nearest under bush, not letting up my speed, even as I heard a furious roar from somewhere behind me. I just needed to run!

But I didn't get very far

Breaking through the forest, I expected a field or maybe a road, but not a cliff. And there I was staring dumbly down at the raging river settled just below the crumbling edge of the cliff.

"Well it looks like you're out of places to run u shitty rodent," turning around I tried backing up, only I had nowhere to go, "Looks like I can finish you off nice and easy now."

He was holding the side of his face a smashed the rock in, I could see blood seeping through his fingers, and I let myself feel a small bit of satisfaction in the fact that I did that. That that was my last deed in this world.

Quickly reaching in the pouch on his thigh he conjured a very sharp looking kunai.

"Lucky for you I gotta be back soon, but if it wasn't for that fact I would have tortured and had some fun with your scrawny ass for quite some time rodent," and with that in two swift motions he brought the kunai down into an X shape onto my body, the momentum sending me backwards into thin air.

The cold burning slices were all I could feel before my body was enveloped by icy water

Then there was nothing

* * *

His eyes felt like lead. It took him a few tries with opening them, but eventually he accomplished it. The first thing he noticed was that he was in a hospital. The second thing he noticed was that no one was there. Going to remove the IVY in his arm, a black gloved hand stopped him. Looking up he was met with a dog mask.

"Wait for the doctor," a wavering deep voice said from behind the mask. He knew that voice.

"Kakashi?" his raspy voice whispered

"Minato-sensei"

The moment was cut short by the door banging open. There collapsed in a sweaty, huffing mess, was a bundle of yellow and orange. The bundle glanced up with his whiskered face, only to be met with the same shade of unbelievable blue.

"P-papa?" came the choked out question

In an instance the small child threw himself into the arms of the now awake man.

"Papa! It's really you! You're finally awake!" the sobs came at Minato faster than he could comprehend. For a moment he did nothing, but in a rare moment of weakness he allowed a few tears to shed as he wrapped his arms around the small warm bundle.

"Naruto," was all he got to whisper before the rest of his guest arrived.

The doctor quickly instructed Kakashi to take Naruto outside as he checked over Minato. He took this time to notice the slight muscle atrophy he was experiencing, but was grateful that it wasn't as bad as it could be, they must have been syphoning chakra from an outside source into his system to keep it up. He must have been asleep for a long time, if the sobbing six/seven year old child just outside his door had anything to say about it. Then it hit him.

Kushina, the Kyuubi, the masked man, the village, his….

A sturdy hand came down on his shoulder. Looking up into the tiered eyes of his predecessor Minato could only say one thing

"Menma"

The Third merely shut his eyes and turned his face away

That's all Minato needed to see

* * *

Obito was glancing over the wreckage of the once small, peaceful village. Not a single survivor found.

That truly was a shame.

He was beginning to really like that little mini Kushina.

Oh well

* * *

A/N sorry its taken so long to update, school is killing me and ive just been dealing with some personal things. So in this chapter we can see that Menma is no longer able to remain ignorant and has lost her home, while Naruto has gained a father! I will hopefully be updating my other Naruto fanfic Evening soon, so please have faith in me. Finals are kicking my ass.


	4. Snow Fall

Chapter 4: Snow Fall

* * *

Was I dead? Again?

Those were my first thoughts as I awoke in a dark void.

Hell who was I to complain, I couldn't even remember my first death. Maybe if I really did die I could talk Shinigami-sama into letting me go to where Iyako-nee-sama, the head priest, and everyone else went. I winced at the thought, I don't think it was from sadness, but more from hollowness. For some reason I couldn't bring myself to feel anything. I was as empty as this void

But the thought of seeing them was nice, even if it was only for an instance, maybe then I could tell them I was sorry.

"_**How pathetic,"**_ a deep, menacing voice spoke from the darkness, _**"So young and already making plans for the afterlife, have humans become even more pathetic in the short time of my new imprisonment?"**_

Stilling I looked in the direction the voice came from, in the far distance there was a dim red light. A few beats of silence followed before it spoke again.

"_**Come here brat,"**_ it growled this time. Taking a shaky breath I made no move to go anywhere near the voice.

"_**Now!" **_ now I was flying through the darkness towards the light. Towards it. I closed my eyes bracing for whatever fate had in store for me.

Maybe this was Hell

"_**Close, but not quite brat," **_the voice was so close now, warm air ruffled my hair, _**"Open your eyes."**_

Taking the voices command, I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was a large golden gate, right in front of me. At the very center of it was a piece of paper, from the calligraphy I'd guess a seal. The redish orange light in the room seemed to come from nowhere, yet was everywhere in the small area. The walls and ceiling covered in pipes, my small feet were submerged in what looked to be water. Was I in some sort of sewer?

Hat air once again washed over me, ruffling my short hair. Slowly looking up I was met with two large red eyes, thin black slits for pupils, and a large white, sharp grin settled just underneath them.

_Kyuubi_

"_**So my warden knows of me, how nice," **_with every menacing word, its miasmic chakra became thicker, _**"Your quite the interesting host, your soul especially."**_

That caught my attention fast.

"So…you know?"

"_**About?"**_ it-no, he sneered with a condescending snap. Breathing deeply I let blue meet red, head on. Staring in to his eyes I answered, voice unwavering.

"That my soul is reincarnated," it wasn't a question, he knew, I knew he had knowledge about it. Meaning he would have seen some of the images from my past life.

"_**Don't look so serious brat, your not all that special, reincarnation is quite common actually," **_he sneered once again, _**"What isn't normal is that a soul is able to keep knowledge of their past life, or that a human as weak and measly as yourself is able to speak to a high ranking god like the Shinigami. That is usually only reserved for the most rewarded souls or the most punished ones."**_

From the way he was speaking he must not have seen all my memories; from this life or my last.

"So, where does that leave us," I snarled back, not very much in the mood to be degraded by a ball of malicious chakra, "_Kurama?" _

A dark chuckle echoed off of the water and walls that encased us, his claws inching themselves through the bars of his prison.

"_**Well, for starters brat, you're not dead,"**_ my eyes widened significantly, _**"I made sure of it myself."**_

"Why?"

Suddenly the air shifted and I was being pulled. Pulled back to the darkness; through the darkness I was being pulled even farther. Towards light.

I was waking up

"_**Because little warden, sometimes life is a crueler punishment than death."**_

His dark cackle was the last thing I heard before opening my eyes.

* * *

It was cold

Small shivers wracked my body, trying their best to warm me, but to no avail. The only part of me that's wasn't freezing was my head. Instead it was cradled in something much warmer. The next thing I noticed was that my body was lightly swaying back and forth.

I was moving, or more accurately someone was moving my body.

Cracking open my eyes I were met with a cloth ceiling. It too was swaying back and forth at the same rate.

"Ah! She's awake," came a hushed shout. I wasn't staring at the cloth ceiling anymore, but at a girl, probably around twelve or thirteen. Her face hovered just over mine. Her long ebony hair brushed the side of my face. Her wide purple eyes stared back into my equally wide blue ones. Her pink lips formed a small smile.

I also noticed a healing bruise on her cheek and dark bags under her eyes. I tried to right myself but found I had no energy for it, and when I tries to move my arms I was met with restraint. Tilting my head to the side I saw that small metal shackles kept my hands bound to a wooden floor. My eyes narrowed as I finally got a good look at my surroundings. Shoved in the small space were at least a dozen girls, the eldest being no older than sixteen, every last one of them looked under nourished and were also shackled to the floor of what I know knew to be a covered wagon. My breath was visible as I spoke.

"W-where am I?" my teeth clacked together in a jerking motion.

"You're in a caravan heading towards the capital of the Land of Iron," chirped the girl whose lap my head was currently resting in, "We'll be sold there."

Sold?!

"W-what do y-you mean by s-s-sold?!" my cracked voice cried out, "How d-did I get here?"

I remember falling in the river after one of those rogue grass ninja 'finished' me off, but after that nothing, well nothing besides the conversation I had with a certain fox. That had reminded me. Glancing down I noticed I was placed in a different yukata. This one was wooly and worn down, an unexciting shade of dirt brown, but that didn't matter at the moment. What did matter was what was on my chest. True to his word Kurama did heal me, but not entirely. A jagged white X marred my chest now, how far down it was, was still a mystery, but I could see the top of it. Well, the top of one of the points of the X, the other side, my right side, reached farther up, all I know is that I couldn't see the top of it.

"Yes, we are to be sold to courtesan houses of the red light districts," aka prostitutes, " Teichi and Suichi picked you up on the bank of a river a little ways back."

"Teichi? Suichi?" I quirked my eyebrows at her, she gave me a gentle, but sad smile.

"Yes, they are the slave traders," regret permeated her next words, "Most of us are here because our families could not pay a debt off, and the rest were merely found without families, like yourself."

I was going to be sold as a sex slave. I knew that there were no age restrictions like there were in my world for marriage and things of that sort, but to sell a six-seven year old into prostitution? At this point I was hyperventilating. I couldn't breathe. Hadn't I been through enough?!

First I died and then I was shoved into a body that wasn't mine, although I couldn't even remember my first body! My home and everything I had ever loved was taken from me and now I was going to be sold as a child prostitute and Shinigami-sama was nowhere to be found.

Streams of hot liquid slid down my face.

Tears

It wasn't like I was sobbing, but they just wouldn't stop! They just kept sliding down my face. I hadn't had time to mourn my first death, the death of my family, my near death in this life, and now this. Although I knew this wasn't the time for this, my body just couldn't let me be.

It was just too much

"Oh! Oh no, it'll be fine, shhhh, its okay," the older girl tried to re assure me, gently rocking me, "I promise I'll protect you until we get there! You have my word!"

Staring into her wide earnest eyes I couldn't help but crack a small smile, despite my situation.

"M-my name is Menma," I softly whispered.

"What a pretty name," she smiled back, "My name is Mai."

* * *

It had been two says since I was taken from the river and put into a human trafficking caravan, and in that time span I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting my captures.

They were a pair of twins, from the looks of them and their chakra reserves they had no formal shinobi training, but had weapons on them at all times. Most likely bandits. They were a pair of average looking men.

They were identical, gently tanned skin, unruly brown hair, brown slanted eyes, straight noses, and identical set of straight slightly yellowed teeth. Nothing remarkably attractive, nothing remarkably unattractive, but what they were was evil. I first learned this on the first night of my stay. They had brought us all poorly made rice balls and cans of water. When one girl reached for a can of water before they gave her 'permission', it ended in her having what looked to be a broken arm and a few fractured ribs.

If the girl didn't get treatment soon she would probably die from her injuries.

I was lucky that they seemed to have forgotten about my existence all together, because they never bothered to assert themselves over me specifically or make my presence known to the rest of the girls.

I was slowly starting to plan my escape, and consequently the escape of my fellow captives, when things took a turn for the worst.

It was the night before we were about to reach the capital. Teichi and Suichi had us all pile out of the wagon so that we could do our hygienel business as usual. It was always tough seeing as the whole Land of Iron was blanketed with powdery snow. It was fairly unusual for the Land of Grass to get snow seeing as it was so close to the Land of Fire, before this I had only seen it once before in this world, but my memories were different. Where ever I had been before I came here received a large amount of snow annually, so it didn't really bother me, but the fact that I had no foot wear made the task that much harder on my undeveloped body.

As we lined up I noticed it was almost dusk. Both brothers set up their tents around a fire, we were usually made to sleep in the cold wagon. Everything was as it usually was, except for one thing.

The brothers were smiling

Before I knew it one brother had an older girl by her short auburn hair, she cried out, too weak to fight back. The other one snatched Mai from my side. A cried out for him to stop, but all I was met with was a swift and heavy kick that sent me sliding back a few paces. Curled on my side I watched as the other girls huddled closer together, panic and fear etched on each of their faces. Each brother was dragging the girls to their tents.

"Were goin' to have a little initiation for you girls," the one on the left leered at Mai as he dragged her, "We'll give you some _good_ practice~"

My breath hitched in my throat. My heart began to race.

They were going to rape these girls, and possibly myself, before selling us off, and there was nothing I could do. I watched in horror as they dragged Mai, the only person to show me kindness since my awakening, closer to his tent. I was too weak to stop it.

Why was I so weak?!

"_**You don't have to be,"**_ a familiar dark voice called out. In an instance time seemed to halt as he continued, _**"I can give you power."**_

_Why?_

"_**Because your pathetic chanting caught my attention."**_

My breathing slowed as I listened to him. Unlike my main character, hero complex, of a brother, I had no problem hearing Kurama out. Especially in this circumstance.

_Then do it_

Suddenly chakra filled every pore, every muscle of my body. My vision went red, my mind went fuzzy.

_Make sure you don't hurt the girls!_

"_**I do what I want brat!"**_

_If you ever want to be free again you'll listen to me!_

"_**Fuck off brat, I'm having too much fun right now!"**_

His voice sounding too crazed for my liking, I reached my small reserve of chakra out to the seal on his prison. Not quite knowing how exactly to go about delicately activating the seal, I just shoved all my chakra in it. Whatever I did must have worked because I felt it lock up as it started dragging Kurama's chakra back to the depths where it came from. His accosted shouts following him.

"_**You weakling! I'll be back! This body will be mine! I will be free!"**_

_I have no doubts about that, but until then you work for me_

My vision began to clear up again as I was brought to the present.

The first thing I saw was a deep red. It was splattered all over the once white, untouched snow. As I slowly looked up I saw the horror stricken faces of the girls from the caravan. All of them huddled together, even Mai and the other girl. The last thing I noticed were the bodies.

There at my feet were the heads of Teichi and Suichi, their mauled and mutilated bodies strewn all over the clearing.

Kurama did this?

No, _I _did this. Bile rose from my throat and spilled out of my mouth as I hacked up whatever measly food I had been given this past week. As far as I knew, or could remember, this was my first kill, but somehow I couldn't make myself feel bad for it. Even sitting there hunched over puking my guts out, covered in their blood, I knew it had to be done. That this is what the strong do.

I was going to be strong!

Once everything was out of my stomach, I righted myself and tried my best to shakily clean the blood and bile off of me. I tried taking a few steps towards the girls, my hand outstretched to tell them it was over, we were free to leave and go back to where we all came from. I wanted them to be happy, but as my hand was about to reach Mai, her hand lashed out.

A crisp crack echoed though the small clearing, as I quickly retracted my small throbbing hand. Holding it I stared into Mai's once gentle eyes; now they were only filled with disgust.

"D-don't touch me y-y-you **monster**!" she cried out as she huddled closer to the equally horrified girls, "Don't come n-near us!"

For a moment I just stood there. My eyes wide, my small figure hunched over my small hand. The physical pain subsided, my chest tightened. Didn't they understand I just saved them? Didn't they get that I was helping?

That I wasn't a monster?

I wanted to shout, to unleash the betrayal and anger that was swelling in my chest; but as quickly as it came, it left, and with it went any emotion I had on my face. I suddenly felt so much older, and so tired. I could feel the weight of my aged soul, and it told me that they had every right to fear me. To fear Kurama.

Because fear is the most basic, primal instinct of humanity

And because they feared, they didn't understand

Turning away from the blood splattered scene and the girls I began to head in the other direction. I didn't know where it lead, but as long as it away from here that was fine. Tilting my head slightly I called out to the still huddled group of girls.

"Your free now, do what you want with this freedom."

With that I entered to forest, making my way god knows where. As I passed a few trees I caught a glimpse of something.

Shinigami-sama

Not changing my expression from the blank mask it had become I began to talk.

"And where have you been this whole time Shingami-_sama_?" my monotone words picking up a hint of contempt, "Out having a nice vacation?"

"**Not quite little one, the Heaven's called me away, informing me that I won't be needed to train you,"** his ghoulish face turning upward into a twisted smile, **"It seems that an earthly one will be provided to you soon enough, but it seems you had quite the little adventure in my absence."**

At this point large, fluffy pieces of snow started descending from the grey sky. Not even looking up I kept walking, my feet long growing numb to the frosty underbrush. As I passed his figure he chuckled.

"**I see you've become acquainted with your prisoner, quite the show of chakra control back there, not just anyone can rein in the Kyuubi's chakra, not even Hagoromo-san; perhaps you are a little moster."**

I suppose it would only be natural that two anomalies would be able to coincide better together.

"Why did you even come back?"

"**To watch the show,"** he tauntingly replied, **"I knew you wouldn't need my help, but it seems you've finally experienced the travesty this world can bring; and what your part is to be."**

"And what exactly is that?"

" **A judge of sorts. You haven't received all the informational visions of this world yet, the Heavens don't need you meddling where you are not needed, but there will be cases in this world where you will be called upon to judge the humans here," **his voice became more serious, **"Like you just did. You judged those men guilty and carried out your punishment on them. Of course until you are no longer needed you will remain able to perform your duties and judgement, so do not worry about dying again, you aren't able to; at least not until the Heaven's allow you to."**

I didn't care about judgment and the whole spiel. Now that I knew what kind of world I was in I had to make a decision. I wasn't going to be weak, I was going to be strong, a warrior, like Tobi.

A light headache followed the name, but at the present time I ignored it. There was one last thing I needed to know before I finally stopped my childish denial.

"I'm being punished too, aren't I" it wasn't really even a question.

"**That damned fox never could keep his mouth shut."**

"I won't fight you anymore if you answer just one thing for me,"

"**Hm?"**

"Why am I being punished by the Heavens?"

"**Because you killed."**

I almost stopped breathing

"So I have killed before,"

"**Yes, you took a life that wasn't yours to take."**

"Whose life?"

There was complete and utter silence, nothing made a sound, before he answered.

"**Your own."**

Then I was met with nothingness

Again

* * *

Kakashi stood and watched as his sensei, his last remaining loved one, rocked his now seven year old child from behind his desk.

It had been a month since the masked man's seal finally faded and Minato was allowed to awaken. News of his revival spread like a wild fire all across the land. With a two weeks of full blown physical therapy Minato was allowed to take his rightful place back as Konoha's Fourth Hokage. Grateful, the Third stepped down, but remained by Minato's side as one of his council men, trying his best to comfort his student through the overwhelmingness of it all.

But like always Minato smiled through it all, giving the people of Konoha, and his son, new hope for their futures. He still had a bit of recovery left, but Minato was well on his way to regaining his former glory.

But none of that helped the deep sadness that hung in the air when his sensei thought he was alone.

Now he himself (captain of ANBU), Lady Tsunade (Minato's health and recovery overseer), Lord Jiraiya, the Third, and the council were all present. With a sleeping Naruto in his arms, Minato allowed his shoulder to sag just a hint, he allowed that perfect mask to slip, if only for a moment.

Underneath was a burning man

"Form this day forward Uzumaki Menma is hear by pronounced dead, no further resources or man power will be used for her recovery."

A heavy silence thickened the air. Tsunade was the first to speak.

"Your own daughter and you turning your back on her," she clenched her fist, "she could be out there right no-"

She never got the chance to finish. A solid and final bang echoed though the office and Minato's fist made contact with the desk. Naruto only stirred the slightest.

Staring eye to eye Minato enunciated each world sharply, clipping each one off.

"Enough, as your Hokage this is an order. Madara might have gotten two of my Uzumaki, but he will not get another!" his voice steady and with purpose the whole time, the voice of a Hokage, "This will be the last discussion I have on this matter, now I will mourn with the village later during the funeral, but for now that is all, you are all dismissed."

With that, one by one everyone left the room.

As Kakashi made his way to the ANBU barracks to deliver the news he swore one thing.

Madara might have gotten two of his sensei's loved ones, but Kakashi would make sure, until his dying breath, that he would not get another.

And if he tried, the relic Uchiha had another thing coming.

* * *

A/N so im super tired but just wanted to update before my new job started. So we see the Menma is now completely reincarnated and her childish demeanor is now leaving her as her older soul is now taking root. We see Kurama and the beginning of their relationship and get some information about her past. Shinigami is telling her about her second purpose, which will get more detail later. Also shes in the Land of Iron, which is a neutral territory full of samurai and lacking ninja, so that will be a big plot thing latter, and this is the first time she is experiencing the hatred the world has to offer. Shes being exposed to the two sides of the world, and her slow decent into emotionless and coldness territory. And then finally some kakashi at the end with some sad new.

Please review and critique nicely!

Cant wait to cya next time

baibai


	5. Little Dancer

Chapter 5: Little Dancer

* * *

His heart thumped relentlessly against his chest as he slammed his way through the nearest door

"NARUTO!"

Ignoring the calls behind him, Naruto pressed on flying down the stairs and quickly through the sparsely crowded streets. He couldn't believe it, he felt like he couldn't breathe. How could he?! How could his own father say that?!

How could he give up on his own daughter?

Naruto wasn't supposed to be listening in on his father's meetings, but he had gotten bored with bugging his father's receptionist so Naruto made his way to his father's office, but just before he was about to slam the door open and spontaneous announce his arrival, as per usual, he heard it.

They were making funeral arrangements for his little sister. The same sister he promised never to give up on; the same sister he _knew _was alive.

They had given up on her

His little sister

His twin

His other half

Making his way to the Hokage's mansion, the place he had come to call home, he sprinted to his room, giving the door a solid slam he made his way underneath his blankets and intertwined his scrawny arms around his Gama-chan. There he laid and cried his heart out. It wasn't true, he knew it in his heart.

No too long after he heard a knock at his door, but dutifully ignored it. After a sigh was heard the person on the other side, presumably his traitor of a father, left with no other interaction.

There in the silence of dusk Naruto Uzumaki made a vow. He would not abandon his sister, he would search the world for her 'till his dying breath. That would be the core of his ninja will! The first thing he would decree when he became Hokage!

After calming his heart and finally allowing his exhaustion take root, Naruto's eye began fluttering.

And there, in the silence as he let his own heart beat lull him to sleep, he could swear he heard two heart beats, fluttering in sync.

* * *

"_**Back so soon?"**_

I was greeted by a ceiling of pipes, and the all too familiar snarky voice. Lying there in the shallow water of the seal I tilted my head just enough to meet the eyes of the Kyuubi. Seeing my bold stare, a menacing snarl incased his mussel.

"_**Why did you stop me brat?!"**_

"Menma"

"_**What?"**_

"My name is Menma, not brat," I shot back as I lifted myself from the water, "and I stopped you because you were going too far."

"_**You don't tell me what too far is brat!"**_ he slammed his massive paw against the gate, _**"I am in control!"**_

"No you're not!" I shouted back, just as furious, "I am in control, this is my body, even you heard Shinigami-sama."

"_**Are you really buying what that old hag of a god has to say?!" **_his incredulous voice quickly turned into a condemning one, _**"He was patronizing you! You actually think a half pint like yourself, with defective chakra coils, is anywhere comparable to old man Hagoromo? Get over yourself brat, you may have fore knowledge of this world and decent chakra control, but you're just a pathetic little girl who can't even defend herself!" **_

I knew my cheeks were burning at this point. He was right. I was weak, weak enough to bargain with a demon for some chakra.

Chakra

He mentioned chakra coils and deformity. Snapping my still red face up, I met his gaze once again.

"W-what do you mean there's something wrong with my chakra coils."

"_**It's just as I said brat. When that damned red eyed Uchiha bastard used his horrendous transportation jutsu, the surge of foreign chakra misshaped your still fragile chakra coils. With some of them not even pumping a decent amount of chrakra there's no possible way for a brat like you to release enough chakra to perform the most miniscule genjutsu or ninjustsu. Though it would seem that due to the fact you can manually siphon your chakra, your control over it isn't half bad brat, and due to the fact there isn't a large reserve of chakra in your neurologic system at one time, genjutsu of any level can't be cast onto you, but you will never have the capabilities of being a real ninja. Ever. Such a shame really being the spawn of the Fourth Hokage and the infernal loud mouth of an ex-host, you have a decent reserve of chakra of your own, but isn't that the irony of it all? The off spring of the strong turn out to be the most pathetic and weakest of the bunch. Heh! " **_

I let that all sink in, mainly trying to ignore his snide and condescending jabs, the ones I would never admit wounded whatever little pride I have left. I would never be able to perform ninjutsu or genjutsu. I would never be able to make shadow clones of weave an illusion, because of Tobi-no…

Obito

But then it dawned on me, Kurama didn't mention taijutsu or fuinjutsu, and that bit about genjutsu being useless on me was a plus. I didn't need to just be a ninja I needed to be strong, even if that meant I had to do it using unconventional methods.

"I want to make a deal with you Kurama," I whispered

"_**A deal entails a trade, what could a pathetic worm like you offer me?"**_

"Freedom"

That got his attention. Settling down he laid his massive head on his crossed paws. It seemed he was willing to indulge me.

"_**Speak"**_

"You didn't mention fuinjutsu or taijutsu, hell even kenjutsu, with these I can become a warrior, maybe not a ninja, but strong just the same. I don't care how I become strong, who I have to beat, what I have to do! I won't be weak," a large smirk twisted his features, "Help me become strong and I will find a way to get you out of here, especially if it pisses the Heaven's off. I want to stick it to them hard, even if it's the last thing I do in this life."

"_**Didn't you say that you would follow him without qualm? If you turn your back on the beings that gave you another chance at life, then how can I trust you won't turn your back on this deal?"**_

I couldn't help but think back to Shinigami-sama's words. What would have driven my last life to kill themselves? And why that was any of the Heaven's business, I would never understand, but there was one thing that was clear to me. I had suffered deeply in my past life, one wouldn't take their life for no reason, and I will be damned if I allowed myself to suffer in this life. With hind sight I made a vow then and there. There was no trusting in this world. My would be twin may have that mentality, but I didn't want the part of a hero, or even a judge. I wanted to be free. I would play along with the Heaven's game for now. At least until I could gain some strength of my own.

"You can't, but I am your only other option for getting out of this cage," leveling my eyes with him I lowered my tone, "Make me strong and I'll hold up my end, if I don't then I suppose you can enforce your own brand of vengeance at a later date, win-win."

He paused, his large red eyes glaring right back into my unwavering blue ones. He needed a little more of a push.

"And I will personally see to it that we rip apart the Uchiha who controlled you, limb by limb."

A malicious, slobbery grin broke its way onto his face. Apparently that's all he needed to hear because the next thing I know the bastard kicked me back to reality.

* * *

I was once again met with the sight of a ceiling, but this time it appeared to be a normal wooden paneled one. Slowly inching my way up I took stock of where I was now.

It was a fairly traditional looking room. Tatami mat flooring, rice paper sliding doors adorned with delicate flower prints, and simple wall scrolls. Craning my head to the left something caught my eye. Lifting my worn and sore body I made my way over to the far corner.

There sat a beautiful vanity

A black table top and equally black drawers with intricate nature carvings. On top sat a large oval mirror, a black frame surrounding it.

Taking slow steady steps, I eventually made my way to the front of it. Plopping my ass on the floor I stared into vibrant sky blue eyes, or at least that's what I was expecting to stare into. Instead I was met with dull half lidded blue-grey eyes. My once bright and playful, long crimson locks were now misshaped chops of a dulled red, matted with dried blood. The beautifully healthy tanned skin I once adorned was replaced by papery white, hollowed out skin, smeared with seat and grime. But the thing that drew my eyes the most was the angry red scar that now tattooed the front of my body. Even with the new yukata that wrapped around my body I could see a large part of it. The skewed jagged lines rippled over my once pristine skin. The right tip of the X reached the corner of my pale chapped lips, while the left side detoured off to my left shoulder. With slow shaky hands I undid the yukata and let it fall down around my naked form.

As a seven year old I had nothing to really gawk at. My chest was flat and no pubic hair covered my lady parts, but I could see promise. With a shorter torso than legs, I would have made a truly beautiful woman. But there, between my future breasts was the angry, fat intersection of the X. The bottom two points reaching my hip bones.

Too stuck in my state of shock I didn't even register that someone opened one of the screen doors.

"Oh my!" a soft voice cried from behind me. Still absorbing the shock of my appearance, I slowly craned my head far enough to see said intruder.

She was a pretty girl maybe four or five years older than me. Pale porcelain skin, a dainty frame adorned with a pale pink winter kimono with little yellow flowers at the hem of the sleeves and the bottom of the kimono. Her caramel colored hair was pulled into an elaborate hairstyle, with decorative pins holding it all together. Slanted forest green eyes zeroed in on the mirror currently reflecting my naked and now scarred body. With a light blush coloring her cheeks she quickly closed the screen door, and shuffled towards me.

"W-we need to wash you and fix you up before I can present you to aneue and oka-san," with that she wrapped me up in the yukata I undid, and ushered me to a large bath room. There with her help we gently scrubbed the sweat and grime from my body, careful to avoid irritating my still healing wounds. The girl, who soon introduced herself as Hinagiku*, filled the awkward silence with her soft rambling. Referring to me as 'little one', she didn't ask for my name, and I didn't give it. I was fine with that.

"We were all a little shocked when aneue brought you back with her. You see, aneue was entertaining a very important client at a wedding celebration in the very center of the capital, and on her way back she saw you in the snow, well not you necessarily, but that bright hair of yours. She took to you right away and soon convinced the oka-san to let you at least rest here. You were in quite the condition, we tried cleaning you up the best we could, but oka-san told us to leave you; that you would wake up soon enough. Though you did sleep a day and a half, I am glad to see that you are awake. Once I am done cleaning you we'll get you fixed up to visit aneue and her regulars next door at the tea house. And good thing we have kimono in your….."

It went on like that for a while as she rinsed and repeated the process; from what I gather I was either at a geisha house or a courtesan brothel, hopefully the former, or all the gore and killing I put myself through would have been for nothing. In the back of my head I could still hear Mai's scream.

'_**Monster!'**_

Clenching my hands together tightly I pushed the vivid scream even further down; to a place where it would never see that light of day again.

* * *

Once we were done cleaning me up I was dried and ushered back into the room I came from. Hinagiku opened one of the screen doors on the left and began pulling out kimono, asking herself which one would look best. Half listening to the rest of what Hinagiku was spewing, I glared down at my new scar. The seal must have still been tightly intact for that scar to still be this fresh. I guess letting Kurama take over didn't loosen it one bit.

"Aha!" came a victorious squeak. Looking over I saw that she had finally decided on a kimono. Even in the foul and depressed mood I was in, I could appreciate what a good choice she made. A cream colored winter kimono with a garden of red and white roses lining the bottom of the kimono. Green leaves poking out from the top and even more roses on the ends of the sleeves. Scattered in random spots, an array of petals. A deep crimson red obi with gold rope ties to pull it together. Yes it would look nice, if I didn't look like a fucking street urchin. She must have read my mind because the next thing she did was put the pristine kimono down, and guided me over to the elaborate vanity.

Now to fix your hair and put a little make up on you. Reaching into one of the drawers she pulled out a pair of sheers and a small comb. Looking up right as she cut the first piece I said goodbye to the hair I had once tried to grow out. The hair I wanted to look just like Iyako-neesama's.

With that the damns that I had been holding up for the past two weeks finally cracked, not by much, but even the smallest crack did its damage. Fat warm tears slid down my hollowed cheeks and I did nothing to stop them. I would indulge my feelings this once, but as I vowed before, this crying, this weakness would end. My face twisted up as I struggled to keep my trembling from interfering with Hinagiku's cutting. If she noticed she didn't say anything.

And for that I was grateful

* * *

"There!" turning me around Hinagiku allowed me to examine myself in the mirror, "What do you think little one?"

She did an amazing job. My once lop sided hair was now trimmed into a chin length bob, two longer pieces in the front fell to my chin framing my face, and straight edge hime bangs split in the middle brushed my brows, a white bow sat promptly on the top of my head tying it all together. A light dusting of white powder concealed my sunken in face and the majority of my obvious scar. A light red tint was put on the center of my lips and small red wings lined my eyes. With the kimono finishing it off I looked like a small doll again; not like a death camp survivor.

"You did a good job Hinagiku-san," my cracked voice whispered. Her eyes grew large along with her smile. It was the first time I spoke since waking up.

"Now to take you to aneue and oka-san!"

With that she guided me down stairs where we put on our okobo* and exited the large house. I soaked in every bit of our surrounding. The sign above the opening to the large dorm like building we just came from read, 'Flowers of the Land of Iron'. The sky was grey, once again, and snow was falling from it, once again. Men and women filled the streets, holding their kimono up as to not soak it with snow and slush. Shops and restaurants lined the streets and in distance I could see a large mountain that looked like three large open mouths, a tall castle near the top, and taller buildings lining the base of the mountain. I was in the capital of the Land of Iron, if my select memory serves me correctly.

Shuffling through the snow we entered the building directly next to the house. Once we entered and removed our okobo an older girl, probably a few years older than Hinagiku, led us to the back of the tea house, to a room filled with laughing and chatter. With the older girl opening the screen door we entered. Sitting at a low table was a group of three men, not very attractive and not very unattractive, and a group of three women, all very attractive, and in the corner playing the shamisen was an older woman, also attractive.

All noise ceased as we entered and immediately Hinagiku dropped into a bowing pose, gracefully placing her forehead o the tips of her fingers. I silently followed suit.

" Ume-neesama*, Kiku-neesama*, Suikazura-neesama*, oka-san, I brought the little one," Hinagiku softly announced. The one dressed in a plum colored kimono with gold embroidery and a gold obi lifted herself from her spot. Lifting my head fully I finally got a good look at her; this must be the aneue that Hinagiku was going on about. She was absolutely breath taking. Her black hair was split, the top put into the same extravagant style the rest of the women wore, but the lower half of her hair was let down, a pin straight curtain of ebony. Two pieces of the large bow at the top of her hair framed her heart shaped face; which was painted a stark white, with a fill lip of red and small round eyebrows that surrounded deep set cooper eyes. The plum kimono and gold obi (which thank God was tied in the back*), along with her black hair helped accentuate her pale small face. She must have been Ume.

How fitting

Using a small fan she pulled from her sleeve she gently guided my face up to meet hers.

"My, what a cute little thing you are, all cleaned up of course," a smooth alto voice came from her, it shocked me at first, but somehow fit, "Oh goodness, I do really want to keep you!"

She gently slid her eyes over to the elderly woman in the corner with a stern look on her face. She must have been the oka-san.

"I was told that if you were to stay you would have to present a talent," tilting my head even further up Ume made sure I was looking directly into her eyes, "A dog does not eat if it has no use."

I knew exactly what to say

"I can both dance and play the koto Ume-sama," sliding my eye to the stern woman, "Oka-sama."

Ume's eye lit up instantly. Letting my head go she glided back to her spot between two of the men. Waving her hand over to the oka-san she spoke.

"Then please, little dancer, show us your worth."

Straightening my back I made my way over to the small stage and waited for the oka-san to start strumming. Once the song began I let my feet weave through the Dance of Thanksgiving. I wasn't use to such a restrictive kimono when I did this dance but I managed, putting the little energy I had left I slid my feet with no pause, I twirled with no fault. Contorting my small body into lovely curves, I made every part of myself extend, just as Iyako-neesama taught me. At the end of the last strum I had ended the dance, the sleeves of my kimono wrapped around my arm and my head tilted down. Feeling a slight chill I knew that bastard Shinigami-sama had been watching.

The small room erupted into clapping as Ume gestured for me to come sit next to her. The men and other geishas praising m as they poured themselves some more sake. Ume gently guided me into her lap giving me a large smile. It was so freaking beautiful I swear I forgot to breath.

"Now to name you," she lightly brushed my bangs away from my now damp forehead, "Whatever your name was before is irrelevant, with dancing like that you will now join our little garden."

The men drunkenly chimed in with stupid names of weeds, assholes; I wasn't really paying attention at all the drunken rambling, what caught my eye was the small stack of swords in the corner. They most likely belonged to these men, smiling slightly I remembered something important to my current mission.

The Land of Iron was the land of samurai, which was perfect for a ninja flunky like me. Before I could start my master training plan though, Ume's firm voice caught my attention.

"Tsubaki!*"

"Tsubaki?" everyone else chimed.

"Yes Tsubaki! The reason I found her was because of this bright red hair, now that I think back on it, it reminded me a lot of wild Tsubaki, blooming relentlessly through the snow and frost of this land," still stroking my hair she nodded to herself, very satisfied, " Tsubaki of the Flower House of the Land of Iron."

After that announcement everyone soon lost interest in me and I was ushered back to the dorm house Hinagiku.

Tsubaki, that was who I was now not Menman Uzuma-no, no I was never Menma, I'm an imposter, wearing Menma's skin, right from the very beginning. Now I would be Tsubaki, now I didn't have to carry that stigma.

Tusbaki the silent flower

Tsubaki the flower that withers and dies unnoticed

Tsubaki the flower without fragrance

How fitting

* * *

Obito melted out from the shadows coming face to face with his little genius relative.

Little Itachi, captain of the ANBU, now stood before him sharingan blazing. In the stillness of the clearing he suddenly had the urge to bust out laughing. Danzo really did it! He really got to him!

Going through the tedious task of planning this little massacre went by quickly enough. Obito was sure Itachi could hear the smile in his voice, as a wicked grin twisted his now scarred features, as the plan grew in detail. At the end of it the little weasel turned to leave, but not before threateningly calling over his shoulder in a very Uchiha voice.

"Sasuke is not to be touched," Obito caught another flash of glowing red, "do I make myself clear Madara?"

"Crystal~"

Once the clearing was left to him, Obito blazed his own single sharingan, giving the immediate area a once over. With his grin growing behind his mask, he melted back into the shadows he came from. Leaving his wicked thoughts to echo in the empty space.

Soon Konoha would know pain and suffering all over again!

Soon they would know Hell

* * *

*Hinagiku- daisy

*okobo- thick geisha sandals, about 10 in thick

*Ume- plum blossom

*Kiku- chrysanthemum

*Suikazura- honeysuckle

* bow tied in the back means a geisha- an entertainer who dances, sings and practices all forms of elegant traditional art forms. No sex. But sometimes virginity or marriage is sold, but of the geishas choosing

Bow tied in the front- courtesan- a prostitute, practices some of geisha etiquette but not all and not to the same extent- usually sold to brothels. Abortions and sex against ones will.

*Tsubaki- commonly referring to the red one, blooms in the winter during snow and frost- ironically a flower despised by samurai, legend has it that they are bad luck for warriors due to the fact that if you pluck it all the petals fall at once, not one at a time.

A/N so I know it's been a while, I've been working all summer and this is literally my first week off. I'm going to try to update evening soon but my computer is acting up so it has to be sent to geek squad and anyone who has them knows it takes like ten billion years to get your computer back. Please review nicely and critique nicely. Some cool shit happening, and hopefully the mary-sue, OP thing is put to bed cause Menma is a sniveling brat. lol.

Cya next time!


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